Fire and Ice
by reforgedGaara
Summary: ZukoKatara. Zuko and Katara are forced to work together. Can they get along? or will their differences make it too hard for them to stand each other? Will Katara talk Zuko into bringing down the fire nation? or will something unexpected happen?


A/N: This is my first Avatar story and I hope I do a decent job of representing the characters even if this is a very unlikely scenario. I thought that this was possible as I watched the show. Please review to tell me how I am doing with the characters, its greatly appreciated. This takes place approximately around the beginning to the middle of Book II: Earth. Possible Zutarra.

Prologue

It was so peaceful tonight, the stars out twinkling, the moon full and glowing, not a sound could be heard…..except for Sokka snoring of course. It was nights like these that Katara loved to stay awake lying in her sleeping bag and just taking in the calm. She starred up into the cold icy calm of the moon, she felt it echo inside of her. She always loved the moon and the water….and the ice. The ice that had surrounded her as a child at the south pole, the ice that had granted her the inner coldness to survive having her mother taken from her….the ice that had made her numb on the inside so she could get up and find new hope without having to deal with the constant ache of her loss of her mother. _Calm…it's become such a rare commodity these days…_she sighed. Ever since the fire nation had started its bid for global dominion calm had nearly disappeared being devoured by paranoia and fear. Fear of bandits because there so few soldiers to protect the inner nation as so many were being expended to stop the ruthless strategy and over powering might of the fire nation. Fear of fire nation, fear of government, fear of people….fear now reigned…and it didn't look as if its reign would be a short one. So for now all she could do was enjoy the night…the time when calm seemed to retake it's rightful place….

Meanwhile, a particular fire bender was sitting near his blazing camp fire, the light illuminating his scar…his reminder of his shame. He sat glowering into the glowing inferno he had created as if looking into a mirror. He looked over to the side to see a sleeping Iroh in his sleeping bag snoring peacefully. Satisfied, he squinted trying to see into the fire, peering ever closer trying to see past the flames into what made the fire burn….and he saw….nothing. He growled in frustration as he always did, every night. Every night this needless introspection yielded nothing, meditation only revealed to him memories….memories that he'd rather not re-live. Memories which fueled his inner flame, his anger, his hate, his rage….and deep down whether he wanted to admit it or not…his hurt. He felt a connection with the fire, it burned relentlessly, as did his anger….his anger that if he had not learned to burn would have consumed him now and driven him to hopelessness. Hopelessness at his loss of honor, his loss of mother, his loss of his destiny...and at heart...the loss of himself. He bent closer, feeling the connection he had with fire, both burned relentlessly despite everything that tried to put it out, the cold wind, the ice water, whatever it didn't matter…the fire always fought…just like Zuko.

And on separate sides of the forest two souls ached for companionship…..even if they never wanted to admit it. One, hot as fire…..and the other…..cold as ice. Zuko's scarred left eye leaked a small tear as a familiar longing for warm arms, a loving glance, and a silky voice filled him, _Mother…_he thought softly to himself. Katara, no matter how cold she had become, still felt the longing for her mother's arms, her reassuring smile, and her soft voice that seemed to flow like a stream. Her right eye let loose a single tear from the icy sea of tears built up inside of her as one thought echoed through her mind _Mother…_ The two souls looked into the sky and the fire respectively and felt something...a resounding thought..._I am alone..._ The two benders stopped their introspection and turned in for the night after all...they had a busy day ahead of them. _I have to find a way to get into the city..._Katara thought. _I have to capture the Avatar..._Zuko thought. Both rolled over in their sleeping bags and thought _Tomorrow is another day..._


End file.
